Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1887-02-09

gree OF disability as related to earnings be con-
Slucred for the purpose of discovering II in any
way 1t curtatls the support which the applicant
IL entirely sound woald earn and to which he Il
entitled, we enter the broad field long occupied
by the pension bureau and we recognize as the
Only differences between the proposed legislation
and previous laws passed for the benefit of the
| surviving soldiers Of the civil the incur
| renee i" o"s case of disability in military SER
"iCL, and i'll the other disabilities existing but in
no way connected with or resulting from such
! service. 1t must be borne i'll mind that in no
case Is there any grading of this proposed pen
sion. Under the operation of the rule first suI-
gested, If there is lack. in any degree,
great or small, OF the ability ito earn
such support ~ the government determines
the claimant should have. and by the applica-
ton Of the rre secondly suggested, If there is a
reduction II any degree OF the support which he
might earn IT sound, he il entitled to pension
of ST. per month. In the latter case, and under
the proyiso Of the proposed bill permitting per-
sons now receiving pensions TO be admitted to
the benefits of the act, do not how those
now on the pension rolls for disabilities incurred
in the service. and which diminish the earning
! capacity, can be denied the Tensiou provided in
! this bill OF course none will apply who are now
| receiving $l2 or mere per month; but on Jane
50, 1856, there were on the pension rolls 2O2,
! 62l persons who were receiving fty-ctGht diff
! ferent rates OF pension, ranging from 81 to
| $ll.TJ per r'Cnth. OF those - IL were re-
! nei'irg - per month; g. ll6, III per month;
! 57,25+ So per month; and 5O,274, whose disa-
| bllltieS were rated as total IS per month.
EVEN IT'S ADVOCATES DIFFERED
| AS to the meaning OF the section of the bill
! under consideration, there appears to have Been
! a difference OF opinion AMONG It's advocates III
| congress. The chairman of the committee on
! pensions IN the house OF representatives. who
! ported the BILL declared that there was il it no
provision Tor penslonlnS any one who hasa less
disability than total disability to labor: and
that IL was a charity measure. The chairman OF
the COMMITTEES ON pensions in the senate. having
charge of the bill in that body. dssented from
the construction OF the bill announced il tho
house or representatives and declared that IL not
only embraced all soldiers totally disabled but
! a II NyN N HIlah IN pN
siderable extent: and such con tructi0n was
substantially given to the bill by another dis
tlngutShcd senator who, as former 3crt.aIy Of
the interior. had imposed upon him thu CUtE Of
executing tho pension laws and Determining
their intent and meaning. Another condition
required OF claimants under this act Is that they
snail be dependent upon their daily tabor for
support. This language, which may be said TO
assume that there exists within the reach
OF the persons mentioned labor or the
ability in some degree to work, is more aptlN
used i'll a statute describing those no: wholly
deprived of this ability than in one which deals
"itn those utterly unable to work. | am OF the
opinion that it may fairly be couteuiei that
under the provisions or this section any soldier
whose faculties of mind or body have become
impaired by accident, disease age, irrespective
or his service IN the army as cause, ana who
by his labor only is incapable OF gaining the fair
support he Ltight with unimpaIred powers have
"r,,vited for himself, and who ia SO well en-
lowed with this worlds goods a. 10 live with
out work may claim TO participate in its bounty:
that II Is not required that be should be with
ORR property, DuC only LN3L lADOr SpOuiu De
necessary TO his support in some degree, nor is
1t required that he should be now receiving sup
port from others. Believing this TO be the
proper Interpretation of the bill, | cannot but
remember that the soldiers Of civil war in
their pay and bounty received such COmpensa-
ton for military service as has never been re-
ceiyed by soldiers before since mankind first
went to war; that never before. on behalf of any
soldiers, have so many and such generous laws
been passed to relieve them against the Incl
dents of war; that statutes have beel passed
GIVING THEM A PREFERENCE
in all public emploEmentsi that the really needy
and homeless Union soldiers of the Rebellion
have been to large extent provided for at
soldiers homes instituted and supported by
the government, where they are maintained to-
gether; tree from the sense of degradation which
attaches to the usual support of charity; AMI
that never before in the history of the country
has it been proposed to render government aid
toward the support of any of its soldiers based
alone upon military service 80 recent, and
where age and circumstances appeared 50 little
to demand such aid. Hitherto such reIi- has been
granted to surviving soldiers; few in number.
venerable in age, at long lapse OF time since
their military services, and az parting b2ne-
faction rendered by grateful people. eau
not believe that the vast peaceful army Of Union
soldiers who, having cOntentedlV reaum d tn eic
places lnthe ordinary vacations Of life hold sacred
the memory of patriotic service or who hav-
ing heeT disabled by the casualties of war justly
regard the present pension roll, on which APP
pear their names as a.. roll of honor desire
at the time and in the present cIigcnCy to be
cOnfuunded with those who. through such bill
as this, are willing to be objects OF simple char
ltY, and to gain a place on the pension roll
through alleged discrepancies: Recent personal
observation and experience constrain me to re-
fer TO another result which will inevitably fol-
low the approval Of the bill. II is sad, but
nevertheless true, that already in the matter OF
procuring pensions there exists a widespread
disregard of truth and good faith, stimulated by
those who, as agents, undertake to establish
claims for pensions, keadle55ly entered upon by
the eXpectant beneficiary, and encouraged, or at
least not condemned, by those unwilling to OBJ
aTFrIl Nfl'I fEA
this proposed law, under any tnterpre .EtiOn, a
wide held of inquiry would be opened for the
establishment of fact largely within the knowl-
edge of the claimants and there can be no doubt |
that the pensions offered by this bill would not
only stimulate weakness and pretended inca |
Pacity for labor, but put further premium on
dishonesty and mendaCity. The effect of new
invitations TO apply for pensions, or Of new adj
vantagcs added to causes for pensions already
existing, Is
SOMETIMES STARTLING.
Thus, in March, 1879, large arrearag9S of pen |
siOnS were allowed 20 be added to all kinds filed |
prior to July l, 1880 For the year from July |
l. 1879, to July !, 1880, there were filed no.
673 claims though in the wear Immediately |
previous there were but Sc. S32 fled and in the
year following but l8,455. While cost 3. ou!d |
not be set against patriotic duty or the recOg-
milton Of a right, still. when measure proposed |
Is based upon generosity or motives of charity. |
it is not aniss to mediate somewhat upon the !
expense which it involves. Experience has |
demonstrated, believe, that all estimates con
corning the probable future cost of q pension |
lis5 are uncertain and unreliable, and always
fall far below actual realization. The nhairnal
of the hOu5 committee on pensions calculates |
that the number Of pensioners under this bill !
would be 49, 1O5, and the Increased annual cost
III, I61. 100. This Is upon the theory that
only those who are entirely unable to
work would be It's benefciartes. Such was
the principle Of the Revolutionary
stated, it seems to NE, than in this. When tbs
law OF 1918 was upon its passage in congress
the number Of pensioners TO he benefited there
n ha ~ lint ha liNa--O 2
applications under the act was D. 297, anu the
nnmbeT of pensions actually allowed 20. 49,,
costing it is reported, for the frs yCar ST.
$4,000 instead Of $4,000 the estimated cx-
pensn for that period. \ law was passed in
1888 Tor the benefit OF the surviving widows of
Revolutionary soldiers who were married after
Jan l, 1900 It was estimated that they num-
bered 800 at the time OF the passage of the act,
but the number OF pensions allowed was g. al |
. > no me amount Paia tor such pensions during
the first year OF the operation OF the act
II go, 900 instead of 1900, as had been esti-
mated have made 10 search for other Rus
trations. and the above being at hand
mates cannot be relied upon in such cases
Ii none should Ce pansiOned under This bill, ex-
ccpt those utterly unable to work, | am salts
fed that the cost stated iii the estimate referred
to would be many times multiplied. and with
constant increase from year to year; and if
those partially unable 10 earn their support |
should be admitted to the privileges of this bill,
he probable increase of expenses would BE- al
most appalling. I think it may he said that at
Juc CtUSc VI Lue iteuSlllOu every NOELncTn SCaLe,
and a great majority of Northern counties and
cities, were burdened with t'xation owing to the
arge bountieS paid our soldiers: and the bonded
debt thereby created still constitutes q larg,
tenn in the account Of the tax-gatherer against
,he people. Federal taxation, no less borne by
,he people than that levied directly upon their
property, is still maintained at the rate made
by cXigenciea OF war. II this Lill
should become a law, with its tremendous
ADDITION TO OUR PREVIOUS OBLIGATION,
am thoroughly convinced that further efforts
20 reduce the federal revenue and restore some
part of it to our people would, and perhaps
should be seriously questioned. 1t has con-
'tantly been n cause of pride and congratu'a-
ion to the American citizen that his country is
lot put to the charge of maintaining a large
standing army in time Of peace; yet now
living under war tax which has been tolerated
n peaceful times to meet the obligations in
'urred in war But for years past, in all parts
If the country, the demand for the reduction of
he burdens of taxation upon our lsbor and Pro-
iuction has increased in volume and urgencV |
I'm not willing to approve measure presenting
he objections to which this bill Is subject, and
which, moreover, will have the effect of dlsap-
pointing the expectation Of the people
md their desire and hope for re- |
ief from war taxation in time n |